Separator



2 Sheets-Sheet -1 INVENTOR April 14, 1925.

B. s. HUGHES SEPARATOR Filed Deo. 8, 1920 W@ s m5,

l BY 091m', bam Wwf-L P Bzw-4 ATTORNEYS B; s. HUGHES SEPARATOR Filed Deo,` 8,' m2o INENTOR 5%@ )Max/vul awu La ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,533,501 PATENT OFFICE.

BURTON S. HUGHES, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 ZAREMBA. COMPANY, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

sErAnA'roR.

Aiepiieeuen niea December s, 1920. vserial Ne. 429,071.

Toall'whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, BURTON S. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie, @State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separators; and I do hereby declare the' following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the separation of 'finely divided particles of liquid from vapors, particularly in evaporators which otherwise, becausel of foaming or entrain.- ment of the liquid being evaporated `with the vapors produced, frequently permit quantities of the liquid to escape with resulting decreased eficiency and frequent loss of valuable material. e

Numerous separating devices have been heretofore suggested, involving the use of collecting plates, baiiles and the like, and even of means which, by causing a whirling movement of the vapor, result in throwing the entrained liquids against a wall upon which it is condensed and' collected. 'Such devices have not, however, been markedly successful, because of failure to appreciate certain fundamental requirements and neeessary limitations of an apparatus for the purpose describe'd.

An object of the presentI invention is the provision of an evaporator constructed Vand arranged to successfully separate entrained liquid from the vapor produced therein,

and to return the liquid to the main bodyv thereof undergoing evaporation, whereby all loss of liquid vis prevented and the annoyance and waste heretofore resulting in the operation of evaporators is overcome.

A, further object of the invention is the provision of Edevice for separating liquids from vapors "having certain novel characteristics as will hereinafter a pear, and adapted to rapidly and efficient y separate large volumes of entrained liquid from vapors passing therethrough.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through lan evaporator with the separator installed therein; Fig. 2 isl a vertical vsection through of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a detail in elevation illustrating the tongues on the separator-` passave wall.

To illustrate the need for a device of the character herein claimed, it may be noted that many solutions which are evaporated in commercial practice, particularly those of a soapy nature, foam violently when boiling, especially when boiling under vacuum as in the usual evaporator. No effective means has heretofore been devised which would prevent the escape of the foam` from the evaporator, and much valuablel liquid has thus been lost. It is `possible to reduce foaming as by keeping the surface of the liquid in the evaporator covere'd with oil, or by permittin the liquid to cover only a portion of the eating surface, the remainder of which is used to superheat and thus break up the foam. Bothofrthese expedients result in increased costs. N either expedient is satisfactory and is employed merely because of lack of better means for accomplishing the desired result.

The present invention is adapted to meet the necessity describedin every. respect. Briefly it involves the provision of a spiral assageway for the vapor and entrained iquid, the wall of which is .formed of two sheets slightly separated, the inner sheet being provided with a multitude of perforations with a tongue punched out of the metal and projecting slightly at the side of each perforation. The" passageway is housed within a casing, which is provided g5 with an inlet and an outlet for the vapor and trapped drains for the moisture which is thrown against the outer wall of the passageway by centrifugal force equivalent to two -to four hundred times that of gravity. The minute particles of liquid are caught byk the tongues and carried through the perforations into the space between the v 7 provided. The advantage of this arrangement is that the casing of thel separator, being subjected to substantiall equal pressures externally and internal y, need not be so heavily constructed asis otherwise necessary to withstand the external pressure resulting from the maintenance of a partial vacuum therein. Another advantage is that no piping is required to return the liquid to the evaporator, a matter of considerable importance, particularly in large evaporators which, when foaming badly, may require the returning of several hundred gallons of liquid per minute. In installations of the size nowY in common use, this is of material importance and epresents considerable saving in the cost o he separator.

The separator may, however, be of the external type, and such a type is well adapted for certain uses, particularly where it is impracticable to introduce the separator' to the evaporator, or when it is used 1n separating liquids from vapors which are formed in apparatus other than standard forms of evaporators.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing illustrating the preferred application of the invention, 5 indicates the shell of the evaporator, having heating tubes 6, terminating in a steam chest 7 and outlet box 8 respectively. Steam is admitted through an inlet 9 and the condensate escapes through a drain 10. The liquor to be evaporated is supplied through an inlet 1l, and an outlet 12 and washout drain 13 are provided. The liquor is maintained in the shell at a level above the tubes 6 and space is rovided for the vapor above the level of t e liquor.

upported preferably on the top 14 of the shell, although the mode of support will vary with the type and size of the evaporator, is the se arator 15, which is illustrated in detail 1n Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive of the drawing. Preferably, the separator is cylindrical 1n form and consists of a light metal casing 16, formed by the outer convolution of the spirally disposed wall which provides the passageway for the vapor with top and bottom covers to provide an enclosed passage. The spiral wall consists of two sheets 17 and 18, the inner of which, having reference to the passage, is imperforate, while the outer wall is provided with a mul-y titude of perforations 19, each having a tongue 19 so struck out of the metal and projecting at an angle to the face of the sheet as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. The tongues are preferably roughly triangular in form and rounded at the point, and project only slightly vfrom the sheet to reduce frictional losses 1n passing the vapor through the passage. yThe two walls 17 and 18 are held in spaced relation by s acers 21 and rivets 22. shown in Fig. 4 t e sheet 17 extends from traps, each consisting of a depending neck 22l and a bowl 23. The liquid overflows from the bowl into the evaporator. The trap is necessary because of slight pressure differences-between the interior and exterior of the separator, which would otherwisecause the vapor to enterthrough the liquid outlet. The vapor `entering through the inlet 24, after passing through the spiral passageway where the liquid is separated, escapes through an outlet 25 from the separator and evaporator.

A depending lip. v26 is provided around the outlet 25 to prevent the ascending vapor from carrying away any liquid on the adjacent surface of the perforated wall. Similarly, a curved lip 27 at the inner end of the spiral wall prevents the carrying of liquid from the adjacent surface thereof.

Obviously the proportions of the separator must be particu uirements of the evaporator, both as to s ape and dimensions, dependin upon the required capacity, -which is uenced b the character of the liquid being evaporate Any number of convolutions may be provided to secure the desired results, and the vapor may enter at the outer'or inner end `of the spiral passageway and travel in either direction therein. Y

Preferably, however, the va or enters the inlet 24 as noted. The path o the vapor in the spiral assageway is curved, and it travels at hig velocity, thus developing centrifugal force, which causes the heavier liquid -to travel outwardly until itl-contacts with the outer perforated wall. The minute particles are caught by the projecting tongues, deflected throu the erforations and consolidated into a lm of .quid which is forced throu h the perforations into the space between t e walls. Thence it trickles down to the bottom of the separator and drains through the trap.

When the eva orator is foamin badly the mass of bub les of varying sizesl an vwith lms of varying thickness entersthe separator and travels through the spiral passage-way athigh velocity. The foam is ressed against the surface of the outer e1'- orated wall and the bubbles arev scrubbe by the projecting tongues. The bubbles are arly designed to fit the rebroken and reduced to a liquid film, which is forced through the perforations in the plate and returned to the body of"liquid in the evaporator through the trap. f

From the foregoing, itwill be observed `tion has, however, fully demonstrated its advantages and the ease with which vapors, particularly such as carry foam,'may be delivered in a condition substantially free from liquid, while the full capacity of the evaporator is utilized and without'the aid of oil or other anti-foaming expedients.

I claim:

41 In a foam separator to remove entrained liquid from vapor, the combination of top and bottom walls, spaced walls to form a spiral passage terminating at an inlet and an outlet, the inner wall of the vpassage extending from the top to the bottom Wall to prevent transverse communication between the convolutions of the passage and having a curved lip at the outlet end of the passage to prevent entrainment of liquid, the outer wall of the passage being perforated and having a plurality of tongues projecting in the path of the vapor in the passage.

2. In a foam separator to remove entrained liquid from vapor, the combination Y oi' top and bottom walls, spaced walls ar' ranged to form a spiral passage terminating at an inlet and an outlet, the inner wall of the passage extending from the top to the bottom wall to prevent transverse com mamcation between the convolutions of the passage, the outer wall of the passage being.

perforated and having a plurality of tongues projecting into the path of the vapor in the Y passage `and the top having an opening through which the vapor escapes and a depending lip to prevent escape of liquid from the adjacent wall.

In testimony whereof I alix my si BURTON S. HUG

atur'e. 

